


On Ice

by ElleBear



Category: Sofia the First (Cartoon)
Genre: Cross-Generational Friendship, Developing Relationship, F/M, Friendship, Gen, Male-Female Friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-04
Updated: 2015-05-04
Packaged: 2018-03-28 23:36:05
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,499
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3874120
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElleBear/pseuds/ElleBear
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><i>He watched helplessly while she fell and cringed when she hit the ground again with a hard slam.</i> An Ambwick-slanted embellishment of the events of Leafsong Festival.</p>
            </blockquote>





	On Ice

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ElleBear](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElleBear/gifts).



> As of 7/3/16. ElleBear is adopting this series to do with what she wants if she wants. For that reason I decided to go ahead and remove myself as author and let her have them. AKA I would have orphaned them if she didn't want them lol. (agentsimmons)

It had started out as any other lazy summer afternoon. The royal family, sans Sofia, was lounging on one of the palace’s many lawns. Baileywick stood nearby, as he often did, a pitcher of lemonade at the ready for when refreshment was needed.

“More lemonade, James?” He looked down at the young prince, noticing his cup was empty.

“Thanks, Baileywick!” James offered the cup out to the steward for him to refill.

Nothing seemed out of the ordinary until suddenly they heard a strange noise and turned to see a cloud of something spreading across the grounds and coming toward them. The queen gasped and Amber barely managed a curious “What’s that?” before they were all enveloped within the white cloud.

Once it had passed, James brought Baileywick’s attention back to the lemonade he had been pouring. It was completely frozen in midair. The steward had seen many strange sights in his time, but this was a new one.

“Where did all this frost come from?” Miranda asked. She wrapped her arms around her shoulders, the cold chilling them all through.

“And why is it blue?” Baileywick added questioningly as he looked down at the ground closely, the others doing so as well. It was the strangest frost he’d ever seen.  He continued to study it curiously until Princess Amber spoke, causing him to look at her instead.

“I want to go back inside.” The princess was clearly distraught and cold as she stood to her feet.

Baileywick’s curious expression changed to one of panic when Amber took one step only to immediately lose her bearing on the slick ground. She yelped in distress as she slipped and flew into the air. Baileywick’s hands moved to his face in worry and his head shook with a silent “oh no!” He watched helplessly while she fell and cringed when she hit the ground again with a hard slam.

“Amber!” The king cried and Baileywick was suddenly reminded of the others as Roland’s paternal instinct ripped him from his chair in an attempt to see if his daughter was okay, but the steward’s attention was still on Amber as his hands fell towards his mouth, torn between fear for her well being and relief that she didn’t seem injured. He was only forced to look at the king in renewed worry when Roland too lost his footing, slipped, and fell backwards onto his chair. “This frost is slippery,” Roland stated the obvious as he sat back up in his seat.

Baileywick looked at the king for a moment before an idea occurred to him. He looked over at one of the torches that had been set up around the small picnic in order to keep pesky bugs away.

“Not to worry,” he said as he took a few cautious steps toward the torch. He slipped slightly a few times, but managed to maintain his footing. “I’ll melt a path back to the castle,” the steward declared. His tone and demeanor were inherently heroic as he grabbed the torch and knelt to the ground. To his surprise, the fire froze upon contact with the mysterious frost. “That’s odd,” Baileywick said as he banged the frozen flame against the ground. “The frost won’t melt.”

“And it’s spreading across the kingdom!” Roland added with regal alarm.

“We need to find a way to get you all safely back to the palace, your majesty.” Baileywick stood up again very carefully. He looked around at the four royals, considering their plight carefully.

“Well, then, I guess we’ll just have to plant our feet squarely and walk back no matter how long it takes us,” Miranda replied and led by example.

Baileywick tilted his head and raised an eyebrow at her suggestion.

“But what if we fall?” Amber interjected and the steward’s gaze shifted to her. She became visibly upset by the idea. “What if _I_ fall…again!”

“We’ll just have to pick ourselves right back up.” Miranda shrugged, the mother in her never missing an opportunity to teach Amber and James a valuable lesson.

“With all due respect, your majesty,” Baileywick tried to intervene, “it’s far too risky to let the four of you traipse back to the palace under the circumstances. I used to skate on a frozen pond quite often in my youth so a little slippery frost shouldn’t be too difficult for me to manage. Why not allow me to go back to the palace and have the other servants bring a carriage and flying horses to fetch you.”

“Nonsense, Baileywick.” Miranda shook her head resolutely. “I know you mean well, but we can’t let you go alone.”

“Miranda is right,” Roland said with a nod as he stood up as well. “We should stick together.”

“Oh, I really, really don’t want to do this,” Amber whined a little bit more.

“Come on, Amber,” James encouraged. He stood up and carefully moved over to his sister. “Maybe it’ll be fun. Like ice skating!”

“I’m a horrible ice skater and you know it.” With a groan she finally stood back up again. Her feet slipped a few times as she tried to find her balance and her arms flung around wildly as she tried to steady herself and keep from falling again. At last she managed it.

“We’ll just take it a few slow steps at a time,” Roland said and began to do so. “See, it’s not so bad if you go slowly. Just have to have a little patience is all.”

“I bet Hildegard could do it,” James teased.

“That’s not fair, James. She is from Freezenburg. She’s used to this kind of thing,” Amber countered as she took a few cautious steps forward to prove herself just the same.

James rolled his eyes at his sister and then noticed Miranda already several feet away. “Wow, mom, you’re good at this!”

“Oh, why thank you, James,” she said, carefully looking back over her shoulder. “I lived in Freezenburg a while and your sister is right. You do get used to it after a while.”

“Well, then,” Roland chuckled, “you might have to give me a hand, my dear.” As if on cue, he nearly lost his balance once again.

Meanwhile, Baileywick watched the twins carefully before taking any steps of his own. He then moved so he could be close to them just in case they needed his assistance. After what felt like several minutes and only a few feet forward, Amber stopped just in front of him and cuffed her fists.

“This is going to take forever,” she said through gritted teeth before heaving a melodramatic sigh.

“I know it seems that way now, Princess Amber, but we’ll get through this. You’ll see.” He placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder and then held out his other to encourage her to keep going.

The royal family and Baileywick continued their trek with little problem. The further they went, the easier it was for them to keep their footing for longer periods of time. Only Roland seemed to truly struggle and thankfully Miranda was always nearby and surefooted enough to keep him from falling too hard.

However, James suddenly felt the need to interrupt their focus. “Uh, Dad, what are we going to do about that hill?” He pointed in the direction they were heading and they all stopped in realization.

“I didn’t think about the stairs being frozen over too.” Baileywick momentarily gave in to his inner distress over this new dilemma. “It’ll take too long to go back and around.”

“Well, I guess we’ll just have to try and make it up that hill one way or another,” Roland replied with a determined brow.

Baileywick looked at the hill, doubt clearly written on his face. “If you say so, your majesty.”

They continued on until they reached the base of the hill, where there had once been a flowing waterfall. “Steady now. Almost there,” Roland said optimistically before nearly falling once again.

Baileywick made an effort to walk up the hill only for his foot to slide backwards immediately. He looked down beside him to see Amber trying to steady herself from a near slip, but still clearly wanting to keep going. Beside her James had stopped completely, looking down at the hill skeptically. For a brief moment, the steward considered what should be done as he looked down at the princess. If he could barely keep his footing at the base of the hill, how would she or her brother ever manage it?

Before he could reach an answer, they heard a guard calling for the king. “Sire!” Before Roland could move, the guard came sliding down the hill and right smack into him. They slid several feet before stopping.

“Yes?” Roland asked, graciously thinking nothing of the incident.

“Apologies, your majesty,” the guard apologized all the same as he and Roland stood to their feet. “The kingdom is frozen for miles around. Horses and carts are sliding off the roads. People are afraid to leave their homes!”

Roland furrowed his brow, not knowing what to do. As if in tune with his inner turmoil, his foot slipped and knocked into the guard’s foot, taking them both down to the ground a second time. “This is terrible!” Roland was beginning to lose heart and Baileywick couldn’t blame him as he stared at him in a state of shock caused by his most recent tumble.

“There must be some way to melt this ice,” Miranda remained positive.

Baileywick looked at the queen uncertainly and then at the guard. “Perhaps you can make it to the sorcerer’s tower while we find a way to get up to the palace.”

“Good thinking, Baileywick,” Roland agreed. “Certainly Cedric must know a spell that could work.”

“Very well, your majesty.” The guard nodded and then hurried away, sliding here and there as he did.

“That looks like fun!” James threw up his hands enthusiastically as he watched the guard go. He then began running on the ice as well.

“James! Stop that this instant!” Roland shouted at him and hurried to stop him, only to begin sliding all over the place as well. Miranda moved towards her husband to help him.

Amber looked up at Baileywick and he easily mirrored her exasperated expression. They then began following after the others rather than trying to go back up the hill.

“Come on, Amber! Try it!” James said as he slid back towards his sister and Baileywick. He circled them, clearly showing off his ability while Amber leaned into the steward to avoid her brother.

“James, your father said to stop and I think you should listen to him,” Baileywick chastised.

“I wonder…” James’ eyes brightened in thought. “If I go fast enough, maybe I can get up the hill.”

“James, don’t you dare,” Baileywick commanded, but the prince ignored him and rushed toward the hill.

“James!” Roland cried out angrily as he turned just in time to see what was happening.

“Woah! Woah!” James made it up the hill only to fly a little ways into the air and come sliding back down.

Baileywick and Amber watched in horrified anticipation as he slid towards them at a breakneck speed. Before they could move, he plowed right into them and all three began spinning out of control until they finally lost momentum and came crashing down.

It took a few moments for the steward to regain his bearings as he lay on his back. Once he could see straight and was aware of his surroundings, he realized someone was partially on top of him. He tilted his head up a little to see Amber still clinging to his coat jacket for dear life and her head buried fearfully into his chest.

“Princess Amber, are you alright?” He asked worriedly. He carefully sat up, embracing her gently so as to bring her up with him.

“No, I am not alright,” she whined as she shook her head against him. She seemed determined not to move and Baileywick looked torn between pity and uncertainty.

“I’m sorry, Amber. I’m sorry, Baileywick.” James had already gotten up again and came over to them.

“Oh, you’ll be more than sorry when we make it back to the palace.” Roland’s furious glares were fixed on his son as he came over to help remove Amber so Baileywick could stand up again. “From here on out, if you even so much as think about going too fast, I’ll add to your punishment. Is that understood?”

“Yes,” James answered despondently.

Roland gave Amber a comforting hug before turning and taking a few steps forward. “Good. Now let’s get back on task. I’m more than ready to be inside again.”

“Me too,” Amber nearly cried at the thought. She watched as her mother, father and brother began their steady journey once more. Closing her eyes in anger, she took a step forward only to lose her footing again.

“I’ve got you, Princess!” Baileywick was close enough this time to catch her by the hand and pull her back upright and towards himself in a fluid movement. He was immediately reminded of his childhood days spent on the ice.

“Thank you, Baileywick,” Amber said sincerely as she held onto him. “I-I don’t think I can go on any further,” she then protested.

He looked down at her with sad eyes for a moment until he was struck by a sudden idea. He gently pushed her away, eliciting a strange look from the princess, and then held out both of his hands toward her. “Come on, Princess Amber. We can get through this together.”

“I don’t understand.” She shook her head at first, but then he smiled down at her reassuringly and she placed her hands in his. He took a long step back with his left foot and knelt down slightly on his right. Then moving his right foot back just enough to remain steady, he pulled her along with him. “Oh,” she said with a gasp at the movement.

“My brother and I used to pull each other back and forth on the ice for fun,” Baileywick explained. “Of course, we were a little more reckless and liked to see who could pull the other the furthest and fastest without falling,” he said with a small laugh until her eyes widened in fear at the idea. “Oh, but don’t worry. We’ll take it slow. Just hold on and let me lead, Princess Amber.”

“Like an ice waltz?” She asked, looking up at him, before feeling the rush of being pulled forward once more.

“Why, yes, that’s a splendid way of looking at it,” he answered, glad to see the small smile that touched her face in response. He took another step back, keeping his eyes fixed on her trusting gaze. “And I couldn’t ask for a better partner,” Baileywick added warmly before gently pulling Amber to himself as they continued on with this careful dance.

**Author's Note:**

> So Elle pointed out that it seems like Baileywick is most concerned about Amber in this episode and I have to agree with her, with the exception of Roland in the scene where Amber first falls. But even then, if you watch the scene carefully, as I have over and over while writing this, Baileywick responds first - silently, but quite clearly. While Roland, Miranda and James are not overly animated (until Roland jumps up in concern) while Amber is slipping, rather just having vaguely concerned expressions, Baileywick _is_ animated - seemingly in the way that I've tried to express in this fic. So, that's interesting. 
> 
> Further still, the whole point of this fic was to build up to the 2.5 second scene where the royal family is walking ~~away from the palace for no real reason only to then later be heading back again~~ and Baileywick is helping Amber. It's an admittedly very cute little addition that I personally think is in character for all of them. That is, it doesn't strike me as odd that Baileywick would go out of his way to help one of the royal children like this while Roland and Miranda don't. Of course, I've tried to emphasize the nature of Amber and Baileywick's friendship in particular to make this moment stand out. 
> 
> Sucky title sucks though. I considered using Waltz of the Snowflakes, but there are no snowflakes so it seemed inappropriate.


End file.
